Ateneo players, diretsahang sinagot ang alleged hazing speculation
- Ateneo players Kieffer Alas and Sam Reyes denied claims that hazing took place during the team’s training camp in Dipaculao, Aurora
- The two athletes said the activities were focused on team bonding and helping each other rather than initiation rites
- Alas said he never felt he was being hazed as a rookie and instead felt that the team was simply growing closer
- Their remarks come amid continuing investigations into the deaths of Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili during the June 8 team-building activity
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Two members of the Ateneo Blue Eagles basketball team have denied allegations that hazing occurred during the team’s training camp and team-building activity in Dipaculao, Aurora, where teammates Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili tragically lost their lives.
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During an interview on journalist Pia Hontiveros’ program “Let’s Talk” on The Pod Network, Ateneo players Kieffer Alas and Sam Reyes addressed questions regarding online speculation surrounding the activities conducted during the camp.
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One of the issues raised in public discussions following the tragedy was whether rookies were subjected to hazing or initiation rites as part of team activities.
Hontiveros directly asked Alas, a rookie on the team, whether he had ever felt he was being hazed or initiated.
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“Ikaw, Kieff, you’re a rookie. This is your first time sana on the team. Did you feel at any point na hine-haze ka, that you were being initiated or anything?” Hontiveros asked.
Alas firmly denied experiencing any form of hazing.
“No po. The only thing I felt like as a team was us getting closer po. But other than that, wala po talaga,” he replied.
His response echoed previous statements from university officials and players who have maintained that the activities conducted during the training camp were intended to strengthen team chemistry and camaraderie.
Sam Reyes also spoke about the responsibilities assigned to rookies during the camp, clarifying that these tasks were limited to helping the team with routine activities.
“Kami po, it’s like we just utos them to at first, the first day to help load ’yung mga equipment sa bus po. Sila po mag-carry ng equipment. And then nung katulad po ng breakfast, like they would just fix the table and after po, they would wash the dishes po,” Reyes explained.
According to Reyes, the duties given to younger players involved assisting with equipment, preparing tables during meals, and helping clean up afterward.
The players’ statements come as questions continue to surround the circumstances of the June 8 tragedy that claimed the lives of Baterbonia, 19, and Adili, 21.
Both athletes died during a team-building activity in Dipaculao, Aurora, an incident that has deeply shaken the Ateneo community and the broader Philippine basketball world.
Authorities, university officials, and sports organizations continue to investigate the events that led to the tragedy. Ateneo has already launched an independent fact-finding inquiry, while national agencies are conducting separate investigations.
The university has also repeatedly denied several claims circulating online, including allegations that players were wearing weights during water activities.
As investigations continue, teammates and members of the Ateneo community have increasingly spoken out to share their firsthand accounts of what happened and to address speculation that has emerged on social media.
The deaths of Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili have profoundly impacted the Philippine basketball community, prompting tributes from athletes, coaches, alumni, students, and supporters both in the Philippines and abroad. Alongside the outpouring of grief, many sectors have called for a thorough investigation to establish the facts surrounding the tragedy and identify measures that could help prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
In a previous report, Ateneo Blue Eagles players Kieffer Alas and Sam Reyes opened up about the heartbreaking events that unfolded during the training camp in Dipaculao, Aurora. The two athletes recalled how what began as a routine swimming activity quickly became dangerous when powerful waves and strong ocean currents suddenly swept through the area, leading to the tragic deaths of Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili.
Earlier, Senator Kiko Pangilinan shared his reaction to recent developments surrounding the tragedy involving the two Ateneo basketball players. The senator said he felt uncomfortable after watching Ateneo de Manila University’s latest press briefing on the matter and expressed hope that the institution would continue to pursue accountability, transparency, and meaningful support for the grieving families as the community works through one of the most painful chapters in its history.
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